Issues, Initiatives and Change

During the past eight years, the vision and service of the Sheriff's Office has not progressed. The department remains reactive as opposed to proactive.

The current Sheriff has not provided long range plans and goals that will best utilize personnel within the allotted budget and after eight years, why should we expect any change to occur?

The county needs a dedicated, full time and hands on Leader. A Sheriff must be the leader and initiator of liaison and cooperation between; law enforcement, emergency services (fire, rescue, emergency management), local municipalities and community organizations involvement. This area has been critically neglected.

The county should have an organized team of emergency services utilizing all resources and thus developing a coordinated plan of public safety.

I will now present just a few of the initiatives that I will implement if elected:

• Require that victims of crimes (assault, breaking and entering, robbery, theft etc.) be contacted at least every 30 to 45 days with a case update, until the case is closed or classified inactive. I consider it professional courtesy that victims of crime be notified and kept abreast of an investigation.
• Organize Response Team to Major Crime Scenes. The initial 24 to 48 hours of a major crime is critical to the investigation. I will organize a team of officers from divisions within the department (patrol, narcotics, criminal). The members will receive special training, assist the lead investigator in charge and be directed by Chief of Detectives.

  I know from experience that it requires all available resources to thoroughly organize and execute the investigation of major crime scenes. Presently, if the crime is after 5:00 pm, the on-call investigator handles major crimes with assistance from the available patrol units working and one crime scene technician. I will require all criminal investigators to be on the scene in addition to the Response Team Members, whatever the time of day.

• Organize a County-City Bureau of Narcotics. The creation of this unit will increase manpower and create an organized effort for the entire county. I will place much emphasis on the structure, operation and planning of this unit. I have already received favorable comments from several of the municipal Chiefs of Police. I stress again the principal of team building and utilizing all available resources to attack our communities growing cancer. We must remain positive and continually develop methods that make an impact on this war against drugs.

• Regular meetings with Chiefs of Police, State Highway Patrol, Wildlife Resources, State Bureau of Investigation and Probation-Parole. All Law Enforcement within Harnett County must be coordinated for the utilization of all available resources in developing public safety. Plans and goals will be developed that enhance each other rather than oppose.
• Liaison and regular attendance at meetings of Emergency Services (Fire, Rescue and Emergency Management). I know from experience, regular communication between departments is essential. I want to build bridges not fences.
• Organize Promotion Selection Board. Presently promotion within the department is arbitrary and influenced by politics as well as favoritism. Future promotions, as positions become available, will be based on experience, written exam, oral review board, training, education and job performance.

We will have specific guidelines so all personnel know they have a level playing field. I can assure you this will curtail morale problems and the inequities of the current system of promotion.

The implementation of this system will motivate, encourage and provide officers with the added incentive to remain with the department. The department has far too much turnover of qualified deputies who are leaving and taking positions with other departments within the county.

I have listed just a few ideas that will have a positive influence. If I become your Sheriff, I will conduct a department wide evaluation; patrol operations, criminal investigations, crime scene investigators, narcotics, school resource officers, office operations, jail operations, training requirements, civil process, communications and many of the day-to-day operations of the department.

The goal is to train and develop the most professional department Harnett County has ever known to serve and protect the citizens.

What I have described will be a continual plan for the department, always reevaluating and seeking to improve efficiency.

Sincerely,

 

Larry Rollins

Candidate, Harnett County Sheriff